Preview / WEEK OF JULY 23-29

Frito-Lay Hopes to Seal Records on Tainted Chips

Snack food giant Frito-Lay is seeking to permanently seal court documents that show some of its pretzels and chips were tainted with toxins, including substances similar to kerosene and cleaning solvents.

Internal papers, such as customer complaints and product tests, were disclosed during a lawsuit filed in 1994 by a Boston psychologist who said she ate contaminated Doritos.

But the papers weren't accepted as evidence, and the case was dropped last month. Frito-Lay immediately moved to seal the documents. It has until Tuesday to file papers supporting the motion.

If it does, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts is poised to step in to keep the lawsuit records open, said staff attorney Sarah Wunsch.

Frito-Lay spokeswoman Lisa Van Riper said the company wants the documents sealed because they weren't used as evidence and weren't relevant to the case.